Frequently Asked Questions

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We've reached the harvest quota on fish headed to Rapid River Fish Hatchery.  From keeping the river reach from the mouth of Rapid River to Pollock open for fishing in the past, we've discovered that many fish headed to Rapid River go past the river and are harvested in the Little Salmon River upstream fishery.  To minimize harvest on these fish, we moved the closure boundary to the Pollock Bridge. Please keep in-mind, these quotas and associated closures/restrictions are to make sure we have adiquate brood stock to provide for future generations of salmon.  We would not limit sport fishing if there were other ways for us to provide fish for the future. Hopefully, you will take advantage of the hatchery Chinook salmon that will be returning to the Boulder Creek/Hazard Creek area.  

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Ririe Reservoir is the spot many crawfish anglers go to catch a bunch of crayfish.  They can also be caught in lesser numbers in Island Park Reservoir and the main Snake River through Idaho Falls.  There are probably other areas too, but these are the spots most folks go to catch crayfish around Idaho Falls.

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The Idaho Fish and Game Commission has seriously considered point systems in the past, most recently in 2005 and 2010. In 2005, the Commission adopted a point system contingent on the Idaho Legislature passing a law that allowed the Fish and Game Department to charge a small surcharge on each application to cover the cost of implementing the system. The legislature debated a bill, but eventually rejected it and the point system was not implemented. In 2009, the legislature passed a law that allowed the Department to charge no more than $4.50 per controlled hunt application to fund a point system should the Commission implement one. In 2010, the Fish and Game Department proposed implementing a bonus point system (very similar to Nevada’s). Ultimately, the Commission failed to accept the proposal. The Commission cited several reasons for not adopting a point system, including: 1) adding increased complexity to the licensing system, 2) impact on casual/youth hunters that would be disadvantaged by a point system, and 3) responding to substantive public perception that the Department was proposing a point system simply to increase revenues. Additionally, comment received during the public scoping process indicated broad public disagreement on the specifics of any single system. Areas of disagreement: bonus points vs. preference points, whether a point-only option should be implemented, which hunts or what species should the system apply to, and whether a point system should be mandatory or voluntary. A report prepared for the commission is available at http://fishandgame.idaho.gov/public/licenses/controlledHunts. Your controlled hunt application is not rejected if you do not submit your hunter harvest report.  If you have any questions concerning a bonus point system or the controlled hunt application process, please contact your nearest Fish and Game office.    

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If you go to our webpage (fishandgame.idaho.gov); click on the "Science" tab; "Fisheries" and search for "Swan Falls Reservoir," you will find all our technical information for Swan Falls Reservoir.  Swan Falls Reservoir has both species of bass, bluegill, crappie, pumpkinseed, yellow perch, and rainbow trout.  Essentially, everything that is found in C.J. Strike Reservoir can be found in Swan Falls.  Only difference is, Swan Falls is a very shallow, sediment laden reservoir.  Fish habitat is marginal so populations are not as large as you would find in C.J. Strike. Fish coves and rocky shoreline for the best warmwater fishing.  Also, anyplace with woody debris will attract fish in Swan Falls.

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Director Moore has decided to allow controlled hunt tags drawn by youth stand.  Therefore, your grandson will be able to hunt once the tag is purchased.

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You need to have a receipt when you buy salmon from tribal members because this is your only way to legally demonstrate the origin of the fish.  With no receipt, we assume the salmon were harvested in the fishery and must be legally recorded on your salmon permit.  The burden of proof is on you - not law enforcement officers, to show the origin of the fish.  Your receipt must show:  date of purchase; number of salmon purchased; size of salmon purchased; and signature/identifying name of whom the fish were purchased. If you are stopped and checked by our law enforcement officers and have bought and Chinook harvested in the sport fishery, that receipt is your proof of how many you caught and how many were bought. Tribal members can sell salmon whenever their tribal elders open a commercial salmon season.  In Riggins, earlier this year, the Nez Perce tribe posted signs around town letting the public know that the Commercial season was closed and their members could not sell fish.  They have since opened the season and their members can sell fish legally harvested by their members. They have a harvest quota on wild Chinook.  This is all the more reason to have a receipt.  I would ask them to note the condition of the adipose fin on the receipt if they are selling you a fish with the adipose fin still attached. There is no limit on the number of salmon you can buy from tribal members.

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Only the 3 year licenses are valid for multiple years. All other permits, validations and tags are annual items and expire no later than December 31 of the year they were valid in.

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Thanks for your interest in the Buffalo River.  As you note, we have not stocked that reach for over a decade, primarily because angler use of hatchery fish was low there.  The reach is currently supported by natural reproduction of resident trout, and also some fish from the Henrys Fork that migrate upstream over a fish ladder on the lower end of the Buffalo.  Since the reach is supported by natural reproduction, there will be periods where the fishing is better than other years, and also worse.  Generally, envirnomental conditions such as temperatures and precipitation dictate how many wild fish are produced each year, which in turn influences angler catch rates. Given our current financial situation with declining license sales, it is unlikely that we will be able to stock the Buffalo River in the near future.  Our hatcheries are supported entirely by revenue generated from license sales, and until those sales improve, we are scaling back production.  Stockings in all waters have been reduced, and in some cases (like the Buffalo) eliminated entirely.  If and when our financial situation improves, we can re-visit the stocking program and increase stockings where they will be effective at improving the fishing. If you have additional questions, feel free to give me a call at 208-525-7290.

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Lake Walcott and Minidoka National Refuge are not a state Wildlife Management Area.  This area is managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for waterfowl and migratory birds. See their website at:  http://www.fws.gov/refuge/minidoka/  for maps and information.

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We apologize for the inconvenience, there was miscommunication between the company owner and our staff. The toilets have been requested to be put back out, although it may take a day or two. Thank you for bringing this to our attention.

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The salmon season opened from the North Fork to Sawtooth Fish Hatchery on June 21st.  We suspect the quota will be met in two weeks or less.  I'm betting we reach the quota after the 4th of July weekend.  Good luck!